Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 399

“Damn it!”

Chaeaaaaaeng!

Yeo Guk’s response to the rapidly fired hidden weapons was astonishing as he deflected them with his sword.

Kunlun was the sect farthest from the Central Plains among the Nine Great Sects. It was considered one of the sacred places of Taoist martial arts, but it differed from the martial arts of Wudang, which was considered the orthodox style of the Central Plains. [The Nine Great Sects are the most powerful martial arts schools in the Central Plains, and Wudang is known for its soft, flowing style.]

If Wudang’s sword was soft, Kunlun’s sword was heavy. Forged in the cold and harsh terrain, the Kunlun Sword did not hesitate to crush even the most ferocious attacks head-on.

After deflecting the hidden weapons, Yeo Guk stepped on the Cloud Dragon Step and swung his sword again.

Chwaaaaaak!

The blade of the sword that extended out took the head off one assassin, and the wind of the sword that was pulled back split another assassin’s abdomen open.

It was a cruel technique that was not typical of Taoist swordsmanship. In the urgent moment, it was a killing sword that was ingrained in his bones, allowing him to use practical swordsmanship.

Jjeoeoong!

He skillfully deflected the narrow sword and pushed it away with the elegant Cloud Crane Palm. [Cloud Crane Palm is a martial arts technique.]

The assassin who was pushed away was instantly torn into dozens of pieces.

Yeo Guk was startled.

It wasn’t because of his attack. The assassins who were pushed away lost their lives at the hands of their comrades. They had anticipated Yeo Guk’s follow-up attack and immediately eliminated anything that could be an obstacle.

“These vicious bastards!”

Chaeng! Chaechachaeng!

He killed the assassins with a reflexive response, but that was the end of it. Having seen through Yeo Guk’s skills, a dozen assassins spread out and showered him with hidden weapons.

Yeo Guk, who was deflecting the hidden weapons with the Tai Xu Sword, tried to counterattack several times, but each time, the assassins retreated like ghosts. They were keenly reading Yeo Guk’s killing intent. [Tai Xu Sword is the name of his sword.]

‘These guys.’

Yeo Guk’s eyes flickered slightly.

‘They’re different after all.’

The Myeolsa Army was a special unit that produced results beyond their capabilities when deployed in actual combat. The reason was that they did not care about the means or methods when fighting. [Myeolsa Army is a ruthless military unit.]

And it was the same for these assassins.

Rather, they were worse than the Myeolsa Army. The Myeolsa Army would risk their lives for a mission, but they would not harm their comrades. They had never even considered such a thing.

But these guys were different. They did not hesitate to tear their comrades apart with something like a steel net to maintain their combat power, and there was not a hint of hesitation in their actions.

‘Demons!’

That’s right. They were demons.

You didn’t have to learn demonic arts to be a demon. These guys, who looked down on human life and their comrades’ lives, also deserved to be called demons.

The problem was that the demons’ attacks were excessively threatening.

‘The attacks are one thing, but…’

Flap!

A hidden weapon that flew in from the front pierced his sleeve and fell to the ground. The area of the sleeve that was pierced by the hidden weapon was slightly wet.

It was poison. They had put poison on the hidden weapons.

It wasn’t something to ignore as a petty trick. These guys were the type who would do anything to kill people. If necessary, they were the type who could endure in a cesspool for days while waiting for an opportunity.

‘Poison, hidden weapons, nets, narrow swords… They really are assassins.’

Pshwiiik!

Yeo Guk’s face hardened.

A hidden weapon that had flown in at some point grazed his shoulder.

Chiiik!

He immediately used his inner energy to extract the poison. If he had been even a moment late, he would not have been able to use one of his arms for a while.

‘Putting aside everything else, how did they get so close?!’

If Muk Bi hadn’t reacted first, he would have allowed them to approach within three jang. If they had entered that range, either he or Okcheong would have surely died. [Jang is a traditional Korean unit of length, roughly equivalent to 3 meters.]

‘Damn it!’

It was then.

Puhbuhbuhbuhbuk!

Yeo Guk’s eyes shook.

Seven invisible arrows had blown off the heads of all seven assassins he was fighting.

Yeo Guk turned his head.

Muk Bi, who had already drawn her bow, was crossing the air at a terrifying speed.

Puh-uhk!

One assassin, hit by Muk Bi’s foot, was flung far away and rolled on the ground with three of his comrades.

Muk Bi released the bowstring.

Puh-uh-uh-uhk!

One arrow pierced through the upper bodies of all four assassins rolling on the ground.

It was truly terrifying penetration power. It wasn’t even an iron arrow, but a single short arrow had pierced through four trained assassins as if they were on a skewer.

Generally, archers are most effective when they keep their distance or hide and snipe. That was why archers were so scary.

But Muk Bi was different.

It was hard to find anyone in the current Central Plains who could handle a bow as well as Muk Bi. Moreover, she possessed a versatile movement technique and explosive footwork that were comparable to divine archery skills.

She displayed the same power whether in close combat or at a distance. That was proof that her practical experience was also outstanding.

And that wasn’t all.

Chwarururururuk!

A huge iron net fell over Muk Bi’s head. They had judged that she was the most threatening enemy in this place.

Yeo Guk shouted.

“Vice-Commander! Be careful…!”

In that instant, Muk Bi’s eyes blazed.

Puhpuhpung!

Four arrows exploded at the four corners of the net, slowing its descent.

It was a speed of rapid fire that was beyond imagination. It was faster than a master of quick swordsmanship using a drawing sword technique.

Soon after, Muk Bi used the Dragon Flight Movement Technique. [Dragon Flight Movement Technique is a martial arts technique.]

Puh-uh-uhng!

She unleashed a powerful palm strike in the middle of the net, causing the descending net to spin rapidly and fly high into the sky.

The assassins’ iron net was not just for capture. The entire net was covered with fine, sharp protrusions, so that once caught, even the best martial artists would be covered in blood.

Muk Bi had recognized the danger of the net early on and had simply blown it away.

But there was a problem.

Tuk.

Because she had moved too quickly, the string of the quiver that was tied to her waist had snapped and fallen to the ground. She could shoot formless arrows, but her hand was already groping for the place where the quiver had been.

At that moment, an assassin shot a poison needle at her.

It was a moment of life or death.

Muk Bi pulled out something long and dangling from her waist and drew the bowstring.

Kwaaang!

Something thick that was shot in a straight line shattered the poison needle and blew away the assassin’s upper body, then stuck into the ground.

Pa-a-a-ak!

Muk Bi, who had quickly landed on the ground, pulled out the object that was stuck in the ground.

It was a short spear. It was the short spear she had used when she called the Myeolsa Army to escape the Mukryong Unit in the past, when she had ravaged the Mukryong Unit’s special forces. [Mukryong Unit is a special forces unit.]

It was an amazing application. Although the bowstring of the Hongryeon Palace was made of a divine object, the idea of hooking a short spear onto the bowstring and shooting it was not something anyone could do. Especially in that dangerous moment!

“Vice-Commander! Behind you!”

Muk Bi’s eyes flashed.

The short spear she held drew a crescent moon.

Chwaaaaaak!

A large amount of blood gushed from the assassin’s neck. And Muk Bi did not bother to avoid the blood.

“…!!”

The battle briefly came to a lull.

No matter how much the assassins had suppressed their emotions, they found it difficult to recklessly attack in the face of Muk Bi’s overwhelming martial prowess.

Yeo Guk swallowed involuntarily.

Muk Bi, who was holding a red bow in one hand and a short spear in the other, and looking around, was creating a truly overwhelming atmosphere.

The dignity of the female general, whose face was half covered in the enemy’s blood and whose upper body was mostly stained with blood, but whose black and white eyes emitted a cold aura, was enough to dominate the battlefield.

‘A match for ten thousand men…’

Bow, spear, and even hand-to-hand combat.

Now, she had become an invincible general who could do everything. She, who had wandered not knowing which path to take, was now becoming the empress of the battlefield, revered by both friend and foe.

Muk Bi shouted.

“Okcheong!”

Jjeoeoeoeoeong!

Okcheong, who had been perfectly defending against the assassins’ attacks with the Taiji Hye Sword, used the Jeun Movement Technique to approach Muk Bi’s side. [Taiji Hye Sword is a sword style, and Jeun Movement Technique is a martial arts technique.]

“Go to the young master! Yeo Guk and I will take care of this!”

“Understood.”

Pa-a-ak!

Okcheong ran towards the building that had now been completely devastated.

He knew that Muk Bi was not worried about Yeon Ho-jeong. In a way, Yeon Ho-jeong was more terrifying than the three of them combined.

The problem was Sama Hyeon. Since he was the chief disciple of the Eumsin, his skills were certain, but if he were to die, the situation would become too brutal. [Eumsin is a shadowy organization.]

As Okcheong disappeared, Muk Bi took a deep breath.

Kwaang!

The assassins were startled and looked at her at the powerful stomp.

Muk Bi, who had raised her bow and short spear to the middle and crossed them, said in a cold voice.

“We should finish what we were doing. Come on in.”

* * *

The assassins were pouring down like rain as the ceiling collapsed.

In a moment that was split into fractions of a second, Sama Hyeon could read every single one of the assassins’ eyes.

‘These guys…?!’

Sama Hyeon’s face hardened.

‘The Dark Blade Group!!’

Among the countless assassination organizations created by the current Eumsin, there were three most terrifying organizations. One of them was the Dark Blade Group.

The reason why the Dark Blade Group was so terrifying was not just their skills, but the nature of the organization itself.

The Dark Blade Group was an organization created to assassinate assassins. It was an organization formed to eliminate other assassins, not ordinary martial artists or political figures.

An assassin group that eliminates assassins. It goes without saying that each and every one of them was a top-tier assassin.

Pa-a-ang!

Sama Hyeon, who had quickly retreated, shouted.

“First, to the rear…!”

It was then.

A huge storm swept up from the Gwangryong Axe, which had risen in a large arc from below. [Gwangryong Axe is the name of the axe.]

Kwarurururung!!

With a tremendous explosion, the bodies of a dozen assassins who had rushed in were torn to shreds.

Sama Hyeon’s eyes widened.

‘What?!’

It was incomprehensible that the heavy axe could move so quickly, but what was even more surprising was its power and the result.

He had killed ten assassins from the Dark Blade Group in one blow? Even though it was a surprise attack?

Puh-uh-uh-uhng!

With a small explosion, a hazy smoke rose from the entrance of the building.

It was poison smoke. The assassins had blocked the escape route.

Yeon Ho-jeong clicked his tongue.

“You guys haven’t changed at all from when you did this to me.”

He stomped his foot forcefully.

Kwaang!

In an instant, the entire wall of the building shook, and a terrifying shockwave rose.

Keuheoeoeong!

It was as if the roar of a ferocious beast could be heard from somewhere.

It was the manifestation of the White Tiger Art, the White Tiger Energy. [White Tiger Art is a martial arts technique.]

“Hey, chief disciple.”

Sama Hyeon looked at Yeon Ho-jeong with shaking eyes.

Yeon Ho-jeong raised the Gwangryong Axe with both hands.

“I’ll make the path. You take the rear.”

“Wh-what are you… ?”

“Hup!”

Kwaaaaaang!

Yeon Ho-jeong, who had broken through the wall of the building with the King Tiger’s Strike, ran out, avoiding the assassins. [King Tiger’s Strike is a martial arts technique.]

Sama Hyeon’s face crumpled. To ask him to take the rear when the assassins of the Dark Blade Group were all watching?

‘…Damn it!’

Piiiiiing!

Sama Hyeon, who had pushed away a hidden weapon that an assassin had shot at Yeon Ho-jeong with his power, hurriedly followed Yeon Ho-jeong.